RED SOX NOTEBOOK: Thinning ranks at catcher

Swihart joins Vazquez on disabled list.

BOSTON -- The Red Sox began the season with a logjam behind the plate and enter the weekend in this four-game series with the Yankees scrambling for options.

Blake Swihart (right hamstring strain) was placed on the 10-day disabled list Friday. He was removed from Thursday’s 15-7 battering of New York in the sixth inning, bringing an end to his 11-game hitting streak. Sandy Leon is likely to start each of the last three games against the Yankees, with none of them starting earlier than Saturday’s 4:05 p.m. first pitch.

“(Swihart) can say all he wants about not running hard and all that,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “But to be behind the plate, it’s not smart to keep him there. The smart thing is to take care of him, and hopefully he’ll be back as soon as possible.”

Swihart had racked up five extra-base hits and a .966 OPS over his last dozen games, capitalizing on available playing time after Christian Vazquez (fractured right pinkie) hit the DL on July 8. Dan Butler was selected from Triple-A Pawtucket and assumed the vacant spot on Boston’s 40-man roster. It marks Butler’s first stint in the big leagues since a pair of brief cameos with the Red Sox during the 2014 season.

“He handles the staff,” Cora said. “He knows the staff. Everybody was on board that he’s the right guy for this situation, and we’re comfortable with him.”

Butler is slashing .202/.312/.322 through 58 games with the PawSox this season. The 31-year-old was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona after exhausting his college eligibility in 2009. Butler has spent all but the 2015 season with Boston’s minor league affiliates, playing 83 games with Syracuse – Washington’s Triple-A club – in 2015.

Making progress: Xander Bogaerts (right hand contusion) was expected to hit in the indoor batting cage on Friday and be available off the bench.

The shortstop was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game after being hit by a 99-mph fastball from Seranthony Dominguez in the ninth inning of the Phillies’ 3-1 win over the Red Sox on Tuesday.

“I just want to make sure it’s right once I get back,” Bogaerts said following Thursday’s victory over New York. “I know this is a big series. Obviously we had a good game today – a lot of offense, good pitching. It was fun to see it.

“Obviously I want to be out there, but I think I should be back whenever it’s right to help out the team again.”

Bogaerts was in somewhat better spirits 48 hours after a disturbing flashback to July 2017. He was tagged in the right wrist by a Jacob Faria fastball in a game against the Rays and dropped off from there, posting just a .661 OPS over his last 68 games. Bogaerts was at a healthy .806 through his first 83 games last season, a number that’s jumped to .855 through 89 games this season.

Offense cranking: Thursday marked the fifth time in 10 games this season that either the Red Sox or Yankees had piled up double-digit runs against one another.

Each of the last four games between the ancient rivals have been blowouts, including all three in the Bronx from June 29-July 1. New York’s 8-1 and 11-1 victories sandwiched an 11-0 shutout by Boston.

“When it gets going it’s tough to stop,” Cora said. “We saw it in New York the second series. Same thing happened in the first series here. It’s tough to pitch to these two teams.”

The Red Sox and Yankees are 1-2 in the majors in runs scored, and the two teams flip flop while ranking 1-2 in slugging. They also both rank inside the top six in home runs and on-base percentage.

“We struggled for a little bit there coming into it, so you see it any way you want,” Cora said. “Are we in a slump or are we about to break out? I always think we’re one swing away from getting this going, and it’s the same way with them.”

Around the bases: Rafael Devers (left hamstring strain) took ground balls and hit on the field for the second straight day on Friday. He’s expected to come off the disabled list on time at some point next week. … Eduardo Rodriguez (right ankle) is expected to throw a bullpen on Sunday. The left-hander last pitched in a game on July 14. … Cora passed Chris Sale (left shoulder inflammation) on his way to the training room early Friday. Sale was expected to play catch and could resume his normal throwing program by the end of the weekend. … The Yankees are expected to call up right-hander Chance Adams from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make his big league debut on Saturday. Adams is New York’s No. 13 prospect per MLB.com and is 3-5 in 21 starts with the RailRiders this season. Adams has pitched to a 4.50 earned-run average while striking out 102 and walking 48 in an even 98 innings.